Giants Players Spark Debate Over Pride Night

A few Giants players decided not to wear the team’s rainbow cap for Pride Night. Three of them added a Bible verse that talks about rainbows to their hats. The team said baseball is for everyone, but they did not answer more questions from reporters. A bar called Hi Tops in the Castro has been a sports spot since 2012. It shows many games on TVs and serves burgers and chicken bowls. People at the bar watched a World Cup match when the controversy happened. Mark Weston, who studies religion, said the verse on the hats is about loving all of God’s creatures. He thinks the players should have chosen not to put any words on their caps instead of using a biblical line. Weston says the choice shows ignorance, not support for anyone.Kevin Atkinson, an Oakland A’s fan, said the Giants should respect San Francisco values. He thinks players who don’t want to celebrate Pride Night should play elsewhere. Atkinson added that the Rangers also have no Pride Night, so he sees a pattern. Todd Pickering, who works from home and watches games on his laptop, was surprised by the story. He said it’s hard to see players not following a tradition that has lasted 26 years. Pickering suggested the protest could have been to skip the game instead of changing hats. The controversy was worsened by a political comment on social media. Pickering also compared the Giants to the Dodgers, who recently honored two openly gay players. He felt the Giants’ action hurt San Francisco’s reputation for LGBTQ support.